Mustangs Rally to Top West Windsor-Plainsboro South in Thriller

PRINCETON JUNCTION – With time running out on the Brick Memorial Mustangs' basketball season, their chances of staying alive looked slim.

After running stride for stride with the fourth-seeded West Windsor-Plainsboro South Pirates all game, the Pirates finally seized control, capped off by a technical foul against Memorial head coach Ed Sarluca, as West Windsor-Plainsboro South took a 59-51 lead with 3:08 remaining.

The 13th-seeded Mustangs, however, finished the game on an 11-0 run to shock the Pirates in a 62-59 win in a first round Central Jersey Group IV state playoff game at West Windsor-Plainsboro, Monday night.

"We have a good, smart, team," Sarluca said. "They picked me up, [taking a technical foul] was a bad job on my part, I lost my cool and I was frustrated, but they didn't buckle and they did a great job."

Shortly after the technical foul, junior Kevin Johnson and senior Tim O'Shea each knocked down a pair of free throws to draw the 'Stangs within four.

After a couple of steals, the Mustangs found themselves with the ball, trailing by two with under two minutes remaining.

There was no question as to who was taking the shot.

Junior Justin Oakley found O'Shea in the corner, who spotted up and knocked down the three-pointer, giving Memorial the 60-59 lead with 58 ticks remaining on the clock.

"It's been his show all year," Sarluca said of O'Shea. "Tonight he stepped up when we needed him too."

After another, tough defensive stop, junior point guard Vince Lombardi sunk two free throws with 18.7 seconds remaining as the Mustangs would hold on for the three point, upset win.

Lombardi led the way for Memorial, finishing with 22 points. The junior had eight of the Mustangs' first 12 and finished with 10 in the first quarter.

"He was unconscious," Sarluca said. "He's a competitor and like a coach on the floor and in our biggest game of the year he came and played his best game.  Awesome."

O'Shea also had a big night, tallying 17 points, with none bigger than his late three point shot to give the Mustangs a lead they would not relinquish. The senior also had five rebounds and his career in green continues on.

Junior Justin Oakley was a scoring presence, as well, for Brick Memorial, notching 12 points. He was the third Mustang player to hit double digit figures.

The Mustangs and Pirates were tied at the end of the first, second, and third quarters at 16, 31, and 46, respectively, setting the stage for an epic finish.

Johnson finished with three points and three rebounds for Brick Memorial.

The Mustangs will play their Central Jersey Group IV round two game on the road once again, as they take on fifth-seeded Jackson Memorial on Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m.